Card-vending machine.



R. F; DOWNE-Y. CARD VENDING MACHINE.

ABPLIOATION HLED APR. 10 1009.

Patnted May 31,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ANDREW E caAMM co vwo'ro-uwocmpuws WASHINGTON, n a

v R. F. DOWNEY. CARD VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10,1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

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nunazw R GRAHAM co. raoro-umocmpazns. wnsmwsrou. ac

R. P. DOWNEY.

GARD VENDING MACHINE APPLIOATION FILED APR.10,1909.

959,482, Patented May 31, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD F. DOWNEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC CARDSELLER COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

OARD-VENDIN Gr MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD F. DowNnY. a citizen of the United States,and residentof Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Vending Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide simple, economical, andeffective vending machines for postal-cards or the like, the mechanismbeing preferably coin-controlled, the invention consisting in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts as hereinafterfully set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings andsubsequently claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1, represents a side elevation of a machineembodying the features of my invention, partly in section as indicatedby line 11 of Fig. 2, and with other parts broken away to better showthe details of construction; Fig. 2, is a plan sectional view of thesame, the section being indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with certainparts removed and other parts broken away for clearness of illustration;Fig. 3, is a detail sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, illustratingconveyer sprockets and certain driving-gear in dotted lines; Fig. 4, isa detail sectional view of the coin-mechanism, as indicated by line 4-4; of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, is a detail sectional view of the coinmechanism,as indicated by line 55 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6, a detail cross-section ofthe same, as indicated by line 6-6 in Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, 1 indicates a housing or caseprovided with panels of glass on four sides for the purpose of viewingseries of cards, which cards are carried by a rotatory display reel 2,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The reel consists of upper and lower headsprovided with studs 8, which studs 3 have hearings in boxes 4 secured tothe top and bottom of the casing. The reel-heads are connected by seriesof longitudinal metallic plates 5, having inturned flanged edges 6,which flanges serve as delivery-guides for post-cards. The back of eachmetallic plate is upset at regular intervals throughout its lengthby-horizontal shelves 7, which shelves in conjunction with the flanges 6constitute pockets for stacks of cards arranged to rest therein.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1909.

Patented May 31, 1910.

Serial No. 489,037. r

The extended edges of the shelves are connected to the back of the plate5, by means of an inclined face-portion 8 forming a spacer between eachof the pockets. The groups of cards are held in their respective pocketsby means of spring-fingers 9 that extend from the angle-faced portion 8,their free ends being adapted to rest upon the exposed card of thestack, terminating approximately midway of the length of the pocket.

As shown in Fig. 2, only one of the metallic plates are illustrated asbeing connectedto the heads, but it is understood that each of thepolygon faces of said head is provided with a similar plate. The lowerreel-head is engaged by a friction drivingdisk 10 carried by a spindle11 that is mounted in suitable bearings carried by the housing. Thespindle extends through the housing and is provided with a knob, bymeans of which the disk is rotated by the operator, whereby the reel maybe revolved in order that any one of the plates carrying the cards maybe brought toward the front of the machine, at which point they areextracted by means of mechanism to be hereinafter described. Mountedwithin the housing at the front thereof and in suitable bearings, is ashaft 12, there being a corresponding shaft 13 alined therewith and hungin bearings secured to the upper portion of said housing, which lattershaft carries an idle-sprocket 14:, while the lower shaft 12 carries adriven sprocket 15, and a pinion 16 that is engaged by a gear-wheel l7fixed on a spindle which projects through the front of the housing andcarries a knob 18, whereby motion is imparted to the aforesaid gearingby the operator. Mounted upon the sprocket-wheels 14 and 15 is anendless conveyer-chain 19, one link of which chain, as shown, consistsof a bracket 20., carrying anti-friction rollers 21. These rollers areprovided for the purpose of engaging a track-section 22, through whichone stretch of the chain passes, whereby the bracket 20 is guided andheld rigid during the period of its travel through the tracksection.

While I have shown the conveyer-chain as being provided with one bracketonly, in practice, two or more of these brackets are carried by saidchain. The track-section is rigidly supported by means of arms 23extending from the housing, the lower end or mouth of said track-sectionbeing flared so as to facilitate the entrance therein of theconveyer-chain at this point. Mounted in ears 24 of the bracket 20 is anarbor 25, to the outer end of which is secured an arm 26 that carrieshead 27, into which is fitted a needle-point 28, the forward end of thehead 27 being provided with an arbitrarily colored indicator-button 29.A coil-spring 30 surrounds the arbor 25, one end of which spring isconfined by the bracket 20 and the opposite end is arranged to engagethe arm 26, whereby the same is rocked in order that its needle 28 maybe brought into engagement with a card selected by the operator to bedelivered thereto. Secured to the opposite end of the arbor is alocking-arm 31, a stud of which arm is engaged by the nose of aspring-controlled latch 32. The latch is fulcrumed to the bracket 20,and has a tailextension 33 that projects in the path of rotation of a.vertically disposed tripper-bar 34. The tripper-bar is mounted inbearings carried by the arms 23, its lower end being also stepped into athimble 35, that is secured to the housing bottom. Just above thisthimble, the tripper-finger is flattened for the reception of the end ofa leaf-spring 36, adapted to engage the same, the tripperfinger beingalso provided with a disk at this point having oppositely disposed pins37 projecting therefrom. Extending from the arbor 25 in the oppositedirection from the lockingarm 31 is a resetting-arm 38, which arm isarranged to be engaged by a resetting-lug 39, that extends from thetracksection 22, one of these resetting-lugs being provided for eachpocket in the vertically disposed plates 5 in such relation thereto thatthe needle 28 is disengaged from a card as its bottom edge is drawn fromunder the springs 9, the needle (and connected mechanism) constituting aselector, whereby a card may be abstracted from any pocket of itsparticular row, the selector being capable of longitudinal movementparalleling that row of pockets opposite the same.

A spring-controlled rocker 40 is fulcrumed to a bracket carried by thehousing, from which rocker a push-button 41 extends through a slot insaid housing to the exterior, whereby the rocker is manipulated inopposition to its spring. Hinged to the end of the rocker is agravity-controlled pawl 42, which pawl is arranged to engage one of thetwo pins 37 carried by the tripper-bar disk, whereby said disk and baris positively rotated for a portion of a revolution with each movementof the rocker. The movement imparted to the tripper-arm by the rocker isapproximately in excess of a quarter of a revolution, but owing to theflattened portion thereof being engaged by the spring 36, thismovementis suflicient to place such flattened portion in a positionrelative to the spring, that pressure of the latter will cause thetripper-finger to make a half revolution, at which time the said spring36 will again seat upon the said flattened portion of the tripper-barand hold the same in the position, as shown in Fig. 2, the gravity-pawl42 in the meantime having ridden over the pin 37, which is now inposition to be engaged. A vertically disposed tumbler 43 is pivotallysecured to the rocker arm, being slotted at its pivotal point to permitslight lateral play. The lateral play of the tumbler is controlled by alever 4a, which lever is engaged by lugs projecting from the tumbler,the lever being fulcrumed to the rocker 40 and normally held in theposition shown in Fig. 2, by means of a coil-spring 45. The forward endof the tumbler is supported by a projection 46, that forms part of therocker, the said end being normally arranged to engage a stop-block 47secured to the bottom of the housing. The bottom edge of the tumbler isprovided with a pair of arbitrarily arranged slots 48, a9, the former ofwhich is normally alined with a coin-runway 50. The coin-runway projectsthrough a slot in the housing and bridges over the rocker L0 terminatingwith a lower pocket 51, which is alined with the slot 48 of the tumbler,the rear portion of the pocket 51 being provided with a shoulder 52,which is arranged to oppose the rear edge of a coin therein. Forexample, in this instance, the top edge of the slot 48 is so arrangedwith relation to the bottom of the pocket 51, that a penny restingtherein will extend slightly into the slot, but cannot escapetherethrough norcould a coin of larger diameter, such as a nickel,escape. Should the tumbler however be moved so as to bring its slot 49into alinement with the coinpocket 51, a smallcoin or penny would passfreely therethrough, but a larger coin would be lodged therein similarlyas described with relation to the first slot 48. By this arrangement oftumbler in connection with the coin-runway, I am enabled, if desired, toalternate the several rows of pockets with cards of different prices,which prices will be indicated in any suitable manner at the top of eachrow or in some instances the rows of one price can be grouped together.

lVith the above object in view, as bestv illustrated in Fig. 2, thelower head of the reel is provided with pins 53, one of which is shownin its correct relative position with relation to that face of thereel-head 53, which, for example, we will assume is designed to carrypockets containing cards, the price of which are five cents each. Lever44 extends in the path of travel of the pin 53 and is slightly inadvance thereof. Should the reel be revolved in the direction, asindicated by the arrow, in order to bring the face 53 in position,whereby a card may be selected therefrom, said pin 53 will engage lever44 and move the same to the position indicated by dotted lines. Themovement of the lever thus accomplished has in the meantime brought slot49 of the tumbler or movable member into register with the coin-pocket51, and in order to actuate the card-pickin mechanism a coin, the sizeof a five cent piece, must be inserted into the coin-slot. Should asmaller coin, as for instance, a penny, be placed therein, it wouldsimply pass through the slot without performing any function. Thecorrect coin being in position, the operator can now press thepush-button 41. The initial movement of the rocker causes the tumbler 43to ride over the coin, which is checked by the shoulder 52, and thisslight rise of the tumbler is sufficient to cause its free end to assumea position clear of the stop-block 47, whereby the rocker is permittedto make its full movement and there by actuate the tripping-bar 34 tocause release of the card-picker mechanism, the op eration of which willbe hereinafter described.

Should the operator attempt to actuate the rocker without firstinserting a coin into the machine, it is apparent that t tumbler wouldengage the stop-block 47 and lock the mechanism prior to any operationof the tripping-device. Owing to the curved endextension of the lever44, after a quick movement of said lever, the pin will hold themechanism in its changed position until such time that the next row ofpockets upon the reel is brought into approximately and alined positionrelative to the selective mechanism, nor is it possible to manipulatethe mechanism with a penny when cards of higher value are only partly inposition, owing to the quick throw of lever 44, the full movement beingaccomplished while the rear edge of one face of the reel is passing thepicker-point to the front edge of the incoming face of said reel. Thecard-reel, as shown in Fig. 1, is held against backward movement bymeans of a drag-dog 54, which is carried by the bottom reel-head andarranged to engage the housing-bottom, it being obvious that the reelcan be turned for inspection of the cards prior to a coin delivery.

The conveyer is rotatable in one direction only, as indicated by thearrow in. Fig. 3, this movement being also independent of coin-control,and while free to turn in one direction, a reverse movement is checkedby a dog 55, which engages the gear-wheel 17 that is manually operated.

lVhen the row of cards containing that one which the operator desires topurchase has been brought to an approximate line facing the picker-headbutton, the operator revolves the conveyer until the button has reacheda point approximately in the center of the card he desires, a coin beingthen inserted, the next step is to press push-button 41, causing a halfrevolution of the tripperbar, which bar engages the tail of latch 32 andthereby permits the spring 30 to act, due to disengagement of thelocking arm 31, whereby the needle of the picker-mechanism is throwninto engagement with the face of the card. The operator then actuatesthe conveyer through knob 18 and the selector-mechanism will draw thecard free of the spring-fingers 9, the needle in the meantime havingtraveled up the inclined face 8 of the plate carrying with it the card,the resetting arm 38 is now engaged by the resetting-lug 39, and astheconveyer con tinues to travel, this lug disengages theselector-mechanism from the card allowing the same to drop, by gravity,through the channel between the spring-fingers 9 and inturned flanges 6of the plate, the card being received into an inclined chute 56 disposedunder the row of pockets, from which chute it is delivered through aslot in the housing to the operator.

Engagement of the resetting lug and arm 38 causes arm 31 to assume itslocked position with relation to catch 32, as shown in Fig. 1, and theparts are now in their normal position ready for the next operation. Toinsure locking engagement between the latch 32 and arm 31, it isdesirable to have a slight surplus movement of said arm above the noseof the latch, and although this necessitates a slight movement of thearm 31 incidental to engagement of the resetting members when theselector -mechanism passes the same, there will be no change of positionother than a slight vibration of arm 31.

As previously stated, it is desirable to have more than oneselectormechanism, so that one of the several is always within a shortdistance below the desired pocket of cards, whereby a slight movement ofthe conveyer is necessary.

It is understood that after each coin has performed its function withrelation to the tumbler, it is dropped from the coin-pocket 51, bygravity, into a suitable receptacle, and while I have shown anddescribed the selector as having a short steel point of a length thatcannot wholly pierce a card, it is obvious that in some instances africtionsurface such as a button of rubber or analogous material may beutilized as a substitute therefor, the essential features of theinvention being an inclosed visible reel provided with card pockets anda conveyer provided with a selector having coin-controlled releasingmechanism in connection therewith, whereby any exposed card upon theface of the reel may be selected and delivered to the purchaser, thedirections for manipulating the machine being so simple that personswith ordinary intelligence can readily operate the device, thedirections being as follows: Revolve the red knob until the line ofcards containing the one which you desire is facing you; revolve theblack knob until the red button upon the selector is positionedcentrally of the card desired; drop the coin covering the price of thecard inthe slot and press the button; now revolve the black knob and thecard will be delivered, these directions it being understood are drawnhaving in mind to make the knob 18 black and the knob upon spindle 11red.

I claim:

1. A vending machine comprising a housed revoluble reel, lineal seriesof vertically disposed rows of pockets carried by the reel, deliveryguide flanges common to the pockets of each row, a yielding cardretaining and stripping finger for each card pocket, selector mechanismdisposed adjacent to the reel whereby access is had to each pocket of aparticular row, means for actuating the selector mechanism, and a lockand release mechanism in connection with the selector actuating means.

2-. A vending machine comprising a housing having a revoluble reelmounted therein, lineal series of vertically disposed rows of pocketscarried by the reel, uninterrupted delivery guide flanges extending fromthe sides of the pockets of each row, and yielding card retaining andstripper finger for each pocket, a selector in juxtaposition to the faceof said reel, means exterior of the housing for imparting longitudinalmove-- ment to the selector relative to the particular row of reelpockets, a spring-controlled selector actuating mechanism, and lock andrelease means for the actuating mechanism.

3. A card vending machine comprising a housing having a revoluble reelmounted therein, card pockets carried by the reel, a vertically disposedconveyer arranged to have movement longitudinally of the reel, aspring-actuated card-selector carried by the conveyer, fixed means forlocking the spring actuated card-selector disposed at intervals adjacentto the path of travel of said cardselector, a releasing-bar for theaforesaid card-selector locking means, the bar being arranged parallelwith the travel of said card-selector.

et. A card vending machine comprising a vertically disposed reel havingrows of longitudinally disposed card-pockets therein, a closed housingfor the reel, a longitudinally movable card-selector mechanism disposedadjacent to the reel, means exterior of the housing for impartinglongitudinal move ment to the selector mechanism, other means exteriorof the housing for imparting rotation to the reel, spring-controlledactuating means for the selector mechanism, a lockinglatch for thespring-controlled selector actuating means, a releasing-bar arranged toactuate the locking-latch, whereby the selector mechanism is released,and a series of resetting lugs disposed in the path of saidselector-mechanism, whereby the latter is reset after each releasingoperation.

5. A card vending machine comprising a housing having a revoluble reelmounted therein, lineal series of vertically disposed rows of pocketscarried by the reel, delivery guide flanges common to the pockets ofeach row, a yielding card retainer and stripper finger for each pocket,a vertically disposed endless conveyer arranged to have movementlongitudinally of the reel, a spring actuating card selector carried bythe conveyer, fixed means for locking the spring actuating card selectordisposed at intervals adjacent to the path of travel of said cardselector, and a re leasing bar for the aforesaid card selector lockingmeans, the bar being arranged parallel with the travel of said cardselector.

6. In a machine of the character described, a vertically disposed seriesof alined pockets having uninterrupted delivery guide flangesconstituting side walls of the pockets, horizontally disposed crossshelves upon which cards are adapted to rest, and a yielding cardretainer and stripper finger for each pocket adapted to extend above thecross shelve portion.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, and State of Visconsin, in thepresence of two witnesses.

RICHARD F. DOVNEY.

Vitnesses G120. XV. YOUNG, GEORGE G. FELBER.

